The present invention relates to monopods, bipods, tripods and aiming sticks used in connection with guns.
Marksmanship with a gun, particularly at long range, is improved by using a bipod, tripod or aiming stick. These devices support the barrel end of the gun and eliminate some or most all of the motion of the barrel prior to firing. This motion can come, for example, from the heartbeat or breathing of the marksman holding the gun.
The typical bipod is mounted to the barrel or forestock of the gun and has two positions, a stored position with the two legs folded approximately parallel to the barrel, and a deployed position with the two legs unfolded so that they are approximately perpendicular to barrel and splayed to provide triangular support for gun at the barrel end from the apex of the triangle thus formed. Many bipods have telescoping legs for use by a marksman in the prone, kneeling or standing position.
Bipods work well for the most part but must be rugged so that they do not become bent or broken if the user inadvertently strikes them against a tree or rock while crossing rough terrain. They must also be rust- and corrosion-resistant, and, if part of a military or hunting gun, be capable of taking on non-reflecting or camouflage coatings. Bipods require frequent cleaning so that they are free of dust, dirt and snagged vegetation, particularly in military use. Rust and dirt may make bipods inoperable.
Military-style rifles typically include a Picatinny rail mounted above and often below and to the sides of the barrel on its heat shield as a convenient platform for attaching scopes, grenade launchers, and aiming lasers. A Picatinny rail is a long, thin platform having a flattened hexagonal cross section and a series of uniformly shaped and spaced transverse grooves formed along its length with which to attach various devices to the gun. A military-style rifle may also have a bipod attached to the barrel with legs that fold to the sides of the barrel between the Picatinny rails.
There remains a need for a more convenient, less troublesome bipod, tripod or aiming stick for use with a gun.